Dreams
by Chenchi
Summary: Takari songfic to "When You Come Back Down" by Nickel Creek - my very first fanfic


"Dreams"  
  
by Chenchi  
  
  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon. I'm not making money off of this story. I'm a poor college student. So please don't sue me. Same goes for Nickel Creek…  
  
A/N: This is my first fanfic (at least, that I've completed), so if it sucks as much as I think it does, do please forgive me, and give me suggestions  
  
CONTACT: tenchi@post.com  
  
  
  
  
  
"I've got to try Kari, I just have to."  
  
Kari rubbed her wet eyes. "I know T.K., I know." She couldn't help but cry. Even in the nice restaurant T.K. had taken her to for their college graduation, in front of all these people – she couldn't hold back her tears.  
  
"You know that it's my dream."  
  
'You're my dream,' though Kari. But that's not what she told T.K. She couldn't – T.K. was her best friend, and that was all. Not that being her best friend wasn't great. T.K. had seen Kari through all her ups and downs, and she'd done the same for him. The two had been inseparable, from middle school through high school, and now through the end of college. But Kari had always wanted something more. At first, she thought she was being silly. Kari used to tell herself, 'T.K.'s my best friend! Stop thinking stupid things like that!" But as she passed through failed relationship after failed relationship, it just made Kari realize even more what she wanted – she wanted someone to hold her, to take care of her, to make her laugh, and to know her – and Takeru was all those things. And now, when she had finally gotten up the courage to tell T.K. her true feelings, he was leaving her.  
  
"I know T.K., I know it's your dream. You've wanted to play professional basketball forever. But I just thought you were going to accept that teaching job at Odaiba with me. You'd make a wonderful teacher!"  
  
"Thanks Kari. I mean, yeah, I was about to tell them yes. And I know I'd like doing that – but when the Nets called, I couldn't turn them down." T.K. had grown into a great basketball player over the years. At one time, he was a very good player; but with a sudden growth spurt of 6 inches at the end of high school, T.K. went to the next level. In four years at college, T.K. had never played a close game against any opponent. Anyone could tell him (though T.K. wouldn't hear it) that there wasn't a person in Japan who could win a pickup game against him, or even keep up. And that's why Daisuke and Matt convinced him to try out for the New York Knicks the month before, when the whole group was visiting Mimi in America.  
  
The Knicks wouldn't take the time to see the Japanese phenom, but the cross- town New Jersey Nets, who had heard of T.K., invited him for a tryout. T.K. was spectacular, showing the Nets his awesome all-around skills. He unloaded his entire arsenal for the coaches. And they were indeed impressed – T.K. could push the ball forward with his killer crossover and end the play with a dunk as easily as he could pull up for a three pointer. And his defense certainly didn't lag behind, with T.K. stealing the ball from superstar (and personal hero of T.K's) Jason Kidd, who had come over to the floor to see what all the hype was about. So Takeru walked away cautiously optimistic, though his friends couldn't help but notice that he was beaming.  
  
But as the days and weeks rolled by, T.K. started thinking the impossible dream was just that – impossible. And so he had searched out other options. Luckily, Kari had insisted that T.K. take teaching classes with her in college, as a backup. She told her friend that there was an opening at their old middle school, where she had already taken a position. And to T.K.'s surprise, he was almost immediately offered the job as the new Social Studies teacher. But now, that was behind him. The NBA was ahead.  
  
"T.K.?"  
  
"Yeah Kari?"  
  
Kari stopped for a minute. This was the moment she's waited for so many years for. And for once, she wasn't afraid that he'd say, "Sorry Kari, but I don't love you." Instead, another type of fear hit her. It was the fear that T.K. would say, "Yes, I love you too." Then what? Of course, T.K. would stay here with her. Did she really want the one she loved to leave his dream for her?  
  
"Um, I just wanted to say…I love you, and I'll always be here for you, no matter what."  
  
"I know that silly!" responded T.K. "I love you too, and we'll always be best friends, no matter how far away I am." T.K. paused for a second. "You will always be here for me, like you just said, right?  
  
"Of course T.K.!"  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise." And with that, T.K. held out his hand. Kari, likewise, stretched out her hand, and then extended her pinky finger. Pinky promise – their unbreakable word. It used to be a digidestined thing, but as the group grew older, the gesture died away – either because it was forgotten, or because promises were forgotten. But T.K. and Kari never forgot. They never forgot what a pinky promise meant – it was so much more than a simple handshake to them, it was the shape of their word, the shape of their promise, the shape of their undying friendship. And as Kari let go of T.K.'s hand, she reaffirmed that promise. 'I'll always be here, waiting for you.'  
  
  
  
You got to leave me now, you got to go alone  
  
You got to chase a dream, one that's all your own  
  
Before it slips away  
  
  
  
And so, two days later, T.K. was on his second flight to New York in less than two months. But this time, he'd be staying for more than two weeks. Takeru thought to himself, "I could be staying here for the rest of my life…"  
  
The first practice was rough. As the newest member, not only was T.K. picked on, but he was also having trouble keeping up. 'At least I all those years of English I took are paying off,' thought T.K. as the coach barked orders at him.  
  
"Stop daydreaming Takaishi!" yelled the coach.  
  
"Huh? Ughhhhhh," muttered T.K., and he hit the floor, the unwitting victim of a screen."  
  
"Alright everybody, reset!" instructed the coach. T.K. looked up, hoping to see one of his teammates reaching out a hand and saying that it would get better. But as he picked himself up, T.K. watched the team walk away from him, some giving him confused looks, as if to say, 'This guy doesn't deserve to be in this league.'  
  
"Alright Takaishi, on the bench, watch how it's supposed to be done."  
  
"Yes sir." Takeru headed toward the bench.  
  
"And rookie, no necklaces alright? They're not allowed on the practice floor."  
  
'Necklaces?' thought T.K. He reached around his neck to find his silver locket. Kari and T.K. had exchanged them when they were seniors in high school. The locket was in the shape of a heart – T.K's had the crest of hope on it, while the one he gave Kari had the crest of light. He'd worn it every day of his life since then. As T.K. took a seat, he looked at the picture inside the locket. 'Kari…I miss you so much.'  
  
  
  
When you're flying high, take my heart along  
  
I'll be the harmony to every lonely song  
  
1 That you learn to play  
  
  
  
T.K. got used to that bench. For his first ten games as a Net, T.K. rode the pine. He spent all his time sitting on the bench. T.K. didn't get into the game at all. But Kari watched intently, nonetheless, waiting for the moment her love, her best friend, would finally get to live out his dream. She even bought a satellite dish, and subscribed to an expensive sports package on her meager teaching salary to watch the games.  
  
But finally, in Takeru's eleventh game, it happened. And injury to the starting shooting guard early in the game gave T.K. some playing time. Takeru came in for relief for the new starting guard late in the second quarter, and scored six points in just three minutes. T.K. played most of the second half, and the coach kept him in on the last play of the game, with just 4 seconds remaining, and the Nets down by two.  
  
"Alright team, we need two to send this into overtime. T.K.'s been the hot hand, so try to get the ball to him." The coach then took T.K. aside right before the team took the floor again. "Takaishi, if you have the shot, even in three point range, take it – understand?"  
  
"Yes coach," he nervously replied.  
  
The next four seconds seemed like and eternity to T.K. He ran off of a screen and received the inbounds pass. Takeru dribbled up to the three- point line and took the shot. The ball drifted perfectly up the air, spinning a mile a minute. His teammates stood on their feet, ready to explode in celebration. But T.K. knew better – he knew it even as the ball came out of his hands. The shot rimmed off, and the Nets lost the game.  
  
As he went into the locker room after the game, T.K. just wanted to be alone. His teammates superficially tried to console him, but Takeru paid them no attention. He stayed sitting at his locker, even as all the other players left. That's when it hit him. He realized what that ringing sound he'd heard since he came into the locker room was. "Oh man! My cell!" Takeru dug through the dirty clothes in his locker until he uncovered the rarely used phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi T.K.," came the response.  
  
"Oh, hi Kari!" replied T.K. Instantly, his best friend's voice has cheered him up.  
  
"I saw your game."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"You were really good T.K. Did you know that you ended up scoring 20 points?"  
  
"Oh really? Yeah, but that doesn't matter. I lost the game, Kari! I feel so bad."  
  
"T.K., cheer up – there'll be more games. After all, even Michael Jordan misses game winning shots sometimes."  
  
That did it. Kari always knew just what to say to make him feel better. 'God, I love her,' thought T.K. 'Wait a minute, where did that come from? I know I love her, but do I love love her? No, I can't. I've never thought of her that way before. She's just my friend, right?' Even as he spoke to Kari for the next twenty minutes, those thoughts kept entering his mind. And when T.K. finally went home, he still hadn't sorted out his thoughts. 'Could I been in love with Kari?'  
  
That night, T.K. had trouble getting to sleep. When he finally did though, he had a troubling dream. It was the dream that had troubled T.K. for many years. And tonight, it seemed to haunt him even more. It normally started with T.K. hitting the game winning shot. He would then turn around and smile at a waving girl in the stands. This girl was always faceless though. Tonight, however, the dream started with T.K. missing the game winning shot. T.K. just stood there, facing the basket. And when everyone walked away, T.K. turned around. But not everyone was gone. The same faceless girl was still sitting in the stands, waving at him. And that same smile remained on T.K.'s face, replacing the expected frown.  
  
  
  
2 When you're soarin' through the air  
  
I'll be your solid ground  
  
Take every chance you dare  
  
I'll still be there when you come back down  
  
When you come back down  
  
  
  
T.K. didn't have a game like that the rest of the season. The injured player returned the next day, and T.K.'s time was cut to practically nil. And whenever he did get to play, T.K. was unable to summon his skills to display any type of competence with the ball. But still, Kari watched him every game, praying that he'd get his second chance. And every game, T.K. would get a phone call, and Kari would cheer him up. And by the end of the year, Takeru still was unable to sort out his feelings for his best friend.  
  
  
  
3 I'll keep lookin' up, awaitin' your return  
  
My greatest fear will be that you will crash and burn  
  
And I won't feel your fire  
  
I'll be the other hand that always holds the line  
  
Connectin' in between your sweet heart and mine  
  
I'm strung out on that wire  
  
  
  
Finally, the day came that Takeru was dreading, but that he was also expecting. T.K. was called up to the owner's office the day after the season ended, and given his pink slip. And without telling anyone, not his parents, not his brother, not his friends, and not even Kari, Takeru caught a plane back to Japan.  
  
The flight was miserable for T.K. All he could think about was that his dream, his one goal in life, was dead. He'd been given his change, and he blew it. But somehow, T.K. didn't feel so bad. Why was that? Ever since that he missed that last minute shot, Takeru never really felt that horrible again. He couldn't trace it – why was it that his dream was gone, but somehow, he felt a feeling of relief. Why?  
  
Takeru flew many hours, in and out of sleep, wondering this question. He tussled and toiled with it for endless minutes. As the airport came into sight, Takeru had an epiphany. Suddenly, like a bolt of lighting, it hit him. He knew the answer.  
  
"Excuse me…sorry…excuse me…" Takeru was, as kindly as he could, pushing people out of the way. He wanted to be off the airplane. T.K. finally pushed his way off, and started down the terminal. At first, he walked as fast as he could. But soon, the walk turned into an all-out run, as T.K. ran down the halls, with people staring at him. But he didn't care. Soon, T.K. was in the main lobby and was about to run outside to call for a cab, when…  
  
"T.K.!"  
  
Takeru turned around. But he didn't have to – even after four months, T.K. still remembered that sweet voice.  
  
"Kari?!" He ran up to his best friend with a look of shock on his face. "Kari, how did you know I was going to be here?"  
  
"Well, I heard that you were released, so I figured you'd be coming."  
  
"But, how did you know I'd be here on this flight? Or that I was coming home at all? I didn't tell anyone!"  
  
"I didn't know," replied Kari.  
  
T.K. looked at the young woman's eyes. "I can't believe you. You could've been waiting here forever."  
  
"I know."  
  
  
  
4 I'll be on the other end  
  
To hear you when you call  
  
Angel, you were born to fly  
  
If you get too high I'll catch you when you fall  
  
I'll catch you when you fall  
  
  
  
T.K. looked again at Kari, but this time with tears in his eyes. And once again, he embraced her. He hugged her for all his worth, consuming her in a warm, loving embrace.  
  
"I'm sooo sorry, T.K. I know the NBA was your dream. You know, you can still go back to America and try out with a different team…"  
  
"No Kari. I'm not going back."  
  
"But you have to! It's your dream."  
  
"No it's not."  
  
"What?!" Kari questioned, with a startled look on her face.  
  
"Well you see, I thought it was my dream. And maybe, when I was young, it was. But dreams change. And it took this dream, this event, this obstacle, to make me realize what my real dream was."  
  
Kari's eyes were filled with tears. 'No, what is he saying? Please, say what I hope you're saying. Please say it…"  
  
"You see Kari," T.K. continued, "You're my dream."  
  
  
  
Your memory's the sunshine every new day brings  
  
I know the sky is calling,  
  
Angel, let me help you with your wings  
  
When you're soarin' through the air  
  
I'll be your solid ground  
  
Take every chance you dare  
  
I'll still be there when you come back down  
  
When you come back down  
  
Take every chance you dare  
  
I'll still be there when you come back down  
  
When you come back down  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Yikes, yeah, not that good, but I'm still proud of it. I've been trying to write a complete fanfic for about 6 months now. It started out with me writing "Tenchi Muyo" fanfics, but I never completed them. Then I started trying to write Takari fics, but this is the first one I've finished (though certainly not my best idea). Anyway, no flames please, but please R/R. Constructive suggestions are more than welcome. 


End file.
